ROME, Italy, 23 May 2012 – Giro d’Italia, the legendary bicycle road race for professional cyclists, is supporting UNICEF’s ‘Believe in Zero’ campaign, a global movement to eliminate the 7.6 million deaths among children under age 5 that occur every year.

As the cyclists sweat over three weeks and 3,400 km up and down the hills of Italy, they will be supported and cheered on by UNICEF volunteers, staff and supporters as well as UNICEF Ambassadors, who will be present at every stage to promote UNICEF’s campaign.

Messages of solidarity

“We are proud to support the international campaign, ‘Believe in Zero’. This partnership with UNICEF increases the value of our social responsibility project,” said the General Director of RCS Sport Michele Acquarone.

Michele Acquarone, General Director of RCS Sport, and Davide Usai, Executive Director of the Italian National Committee for UNICEF, stand with children and UNICEF volunteers in Civitavecchia, Italy, during the Giro d’Italia.

“Thanks to Giro d’Italia for passion and enthusiasm,” said Davide Usai, Executive Director of the Italian National Committee for UNICEF. “Sport is a vehicle of positive values and permits us to involve young people and adults with messages of solidarity.”

A global audience

Some 12.5 million people cheer Giro d’Italia from the road. The race has an audience of about 800 million people all over the world and is broadcast in 165 countries. It is organized by the media group RCS, an international multimedia publishing group.